Missed That Chases Huge Bumper Purse At Punchestown Missed That, winner of last week's Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, is set to contest the most valuable Grade 1 National Hunt Flat race ever staged in Britain or Ireland at Punchestown on Wednesday, April 27.The Paddy Power Champion INH Flat Race, run on the second day of the Irish National Hunt Festival, has had its prize money increased by 66 per cent to 100,000 euros this year and looks set to attract a high-class field from both sides of the Irish Sea.The race has a distinguished roll of honour with recent winners that include Royal Rosa (2003), Like-A-Butterfly (2001) and Liss A Paoraigh (2000).Trainer Willie Mullins reported today that Missed That has returned from Cheltenham in good shape and is on course for the Paddy Power Champion INH Flat Race.'Missed That has come back in good order and I think that with him being a six-year-old, the maturity of an extra year has helped him recover a bit quicker after Cheltenham,' said Mullins. 'It's going to be a big ask for him at Punchestown, but I'm very happy with the horse at present and the plan is to have a crack at the Paddy Power INH Flat Race.'The 100,000 euros prize money for the Paddy Power INH Flat Race compares with #40,000 in guaranteed prize money for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham while Aintree's John Smith's Champion Standard Open NH Flat Race has a #30,000 prize fund.The Irish National Hunt Festival takes place at Punchestown from Tuesday, April 26, to Friday, April 29, and carries 2.127 million euros in prize money. The feature Grade 1 Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup is worth 225,000 euros this year and is set to be contested by totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Kicking King.Janet Williamson, PR Manager at Punchestown Racecourse, said: 'The popularity of National Hunt Flat races grows every year and we are extremely grateful to Paddy Power for helping us break new ground by staging the 100,000 euro Paddy Power Champion Bumper, the richest Grade 1 bumper in Europe.'
